Aerosol container with push-on closure and nozzle

ABSTRACT

An aerosol container having a cylindrical neck defining an outlet opening. A nozzle having a base and neck seats on the container neck with its base covering the outlet opening, and is held in place by a push-on cap snapped onto the container, with the nozzle neck projecting through a hole in the cap. The cap is resilient, so that when the nozzle is pushed sideways, the cap yields and the nozzle base lifts to uncover the outlet opening. The container contents then pass through the uncovered outlet opening, through a peripheral space between the nozzle base and the cap, through a side bore in the nozzle base, and out a passage in the nozzle neck as a spray.

United States Patent Inventors Heinz Lukesch;

Hans Krakowsky; Dieter Heeb, Hamburg,

- AEROSOL CONTAINER WITH PUSH-ON CLOSURE AND NOZZLE 8 Claims, 2 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 222/402.22 B65411 83/06 Field of Search ..222/402.22, 570; 239/576, 546, 577

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,869,049 7/1932 Card 239/577X Primary Examiner-Robert B. Reeves Assistant ExaminerNorman L. Stack, Jr. Attorney-Bacon & Thomas ABSTRACT: An aerosol container having a cylindrical neck defining an outlet opening. A nozzle having a base and neck seats on the container neck with its base covering the outlet opening, and is held in place by a push-on cap snapped onto the container, with the noule neck projecting through a hole in the cap. The cap is resilient, so that when the nozzle is pushed sideways, the cap yields and the nozzle base lifts to uncover the outlet opening. The container contents then pass through the uncovered outlet opening, through a peripheral space between the nozzle base and the cap, through a side bore in the noule base, and out a passage in the nozzle neck as a spray.

v 1 AEROSOL CONTAINER wrru PUSHON CLOSURE AND NOZZL This invention relates to an aerosol dispenser, and more particularly, it relates to a dispenser having an improved nozzle structure.

Aerosol dispensers made of metal, glass and plastic are well known and widely used. They typically contain products such I vortex chambers and nozzle extensions. Special foaming heads i are commonly used to foam shampoos, for example.

When the dispenser can be refilled, arelatively costly nozzle structure design is justified. However, when the dispenser is simply to be used up and then thrown out, a costly nozzle structure design can only be justified with a relatively large package, the nozzle structure typically increases considerably the cost of the aerosol dispenser. I

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an aerosol dispenser having a novel spray and foam nozzle structure which functions simultaneously as a container closure and which can be attached to the edge of the container neck by means of a resilient push-on cap.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description, taken together with the accompanying drawings, in which; FIG. I is a cross-sectional view showing a first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a modification of the embodiment of FIG. 1; and I FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the FIG. 1 embodiment during a dispensing operation.

Reference is first made to FIG. I, which shows a container 2 having a neck 4 defining an outlet opening 6. The outer end 7 of the neck 4 forms a valve seat around the opening 6, as will be described. Immediately below the neck 4 of the container is a bead 8 encircling the container.

Resting on the neck 4 of the container is a sealing member 10. The sealing member 10 rests'on the outer end 7 of the container neck, to close the outlet opening 6 of the container, and is held in position by a nozzle 12. The nozzle 12 contains a cylindrical base 14 having an upper surface 18, with a tapered neck 16 projecting from the upper surface 18. The neck 16 contains a nozzle passage 20 which communicates with a conical nozzle bore 22 in the base of the nozzle, The bottom of the nozzle 12 is open but is sealed from the outlet opening 6 of the container by the sealing memberl0. The sealing member 10 may be thought of as part of the base structure of the nozzle.

The nozzle 12 and sealing member 10 are pressed and held in position on the neck of the container 2 by a resilient one piece push on cap 24. The cap includes a sidewall 24a and a top 24b. The sidewall 24a 24 includes in its inner surface a groove 26 which interlocks with the bead 8 of the container, so that the cap 24, with the nozzle 12 and sealing member 10 will be held snugly in position when the cap is pushed'onto the container. The inner surface of the sidewall 24a below the groove 26 is tapered radially outwardly, as shown at 27, to enable the cap to be pushed onto the container.

The top 24b of the cap includes a hole 240 therein to snugly accommodate the nozzle neck 16. When the cap is on the container, the neck 16 projects through the hole 240, and the lower surface 28 of the top 241) presses tightly on the upper surface of the nozzle 12 and prevents egress of fluid therebetween. The force exerted by the cap 24 also presses the sealing member 10 against the outer end 7 of the container neck at this time, to seal the container. It will be noted that the sidewall 24a of the cap 24, between its upper edge 28 and the groove 26, and the outer periphery of the nozzle base 14 and sealing member 10, define between them an annular chamber 30. The chamber 30 also encircles the neck 4 of the container. The chamber 30 is provided for passage of propellant and product, as will be described.

The container 2 will typically contain a product, such as a hair spray, to which propellant gases are added which develop a pressure between about 0.3 and 10 atmosphere at normal pressure. The propellant gases will typically be nitrogen and carbon dioxide, with halogenated hydrocarbons. In use, the

.pressure in the container then lifts the edge of the sealing member 10, and the contents of the container then escape into the annular chamber 30. From the chamber 30, the container contents pass through the bore 22 and then out through the nozzle passage 20 in the form of a spray. The condition of the dispenser when actuated is shown in FIG. 3.

Since thumb pressure on the nozzle 12 must stretch the push-on cap 24, the nozzle 12 will typically be made of a harder material than that of the push-on cap. Typically the nozzle will be made of a relatively brittle plastic, which improves its functional capabilities. Of course, the nozzle can be made of the same material as the cap but of a heavier gauge, but it is preferred that the nozzle be of a harder material.

Reference is next made to FIG. 2, in which primed reference numerals indicate parts corresponding to those of FIG. 1. The FIG. 2 embodiment is similar to that of FIG. 1 except that the sealing member 10 is eliminated, and instead the base of the nozzle is closed at its bottom and thereby acts to close the neck of the container in the absence of pressure on the nozzle 12'.

The bore 22 or 22' in the nozzle base will typically have a diameter in the range between 0.1 and 1.3 mm., and preferably between 0.3 and 0.4 mm.

If desired, an annular insert, the outside of which is slightly larger than the inside diameter of the nozzle and of the bottle neck, can be additionally fitted to the outlet opening 6 of the container.

We claim: 1. An aerosol dispenser comprising: a. a container for filler and pressurized propellant gas, said container having a neck integral with said container, said neck having an outer end having an outlet opening therein, said outer end of said neck forming a valve seat around said outlet opening, b. said container further including a raised bead encircling the outer surface of said container adjacent said neck, c. a nozzle having i. base structure having a lower sealing surface seated on said valve seat and cooperating therewith to seal said container when said lower sealing surface is urged against said'valve seat, said base structure also having, an upper sealing surface, and a bore in its side between said upper and lower surfaces,

ii. and a nozzle neck projecting upwardly from said upper surface, said nozzle neck having a nozzle passage therein communicating with said bore,

d. and a resilient one-piece cap for said container, said cap having a sidewall and a top, said top having a nozzle opening therein to snugly accommodate said nozzle neck,

e. said cap being positioned on said container with said sidewall of said cap encircling the outer surface of said container neck and said base structure, said top of said cap seating against said upper surface of said base structure, and said nozzle neck projecting through said nozzle opening,

f. the interior surface of said sidewall of said cap having a groove therearound, said bead being engaged in said groove and said head and groove cooperating to urge said cap downwardly to force said top of said cap against said upper surface of said base structure and hence to force said lower surface of said base structure against said valve seat with a force greater than the force exerted on said nozzle and cap by said filler and propellant gas, thus normally to seal said container,

said groove, and said neck of said container being cooperatively shaped to allow said cap to be pushed onto said container to a position in which said bead engages in said groove,

h. said interior surface of said sidewall and said base structure defining between them at the location of said bore, a narrow annular chamber, said annular chamber extending below said base structure and encircling said neck of said container,

.i. said nozzle being of such rigidity relative to the rigidity of said cap that when said nozzle neck is pushed sideways by pressure applied to the side of said nozzle in which said nozzle bore is located, said'cap will yield and said one side of lower sealing surface of nozzle base structure will lift to uncover one side of said outlet opening of said container, whereby said filler and propellant gas may pass from said outlet opening through said chamber. and through said nozzle bore into said nozzle passage.

2. An aerosol dispenser according to claim 1 wherein said nozzle is of a material harder than that of said resilient cap.

3. An aerosol container according to claim 2 wherein said nonle is of brittle plastic.

4. An aerosol container according to claim 1 wherein said nozzle is a one-piece member.

5. An aerosol container according to claim 1 wherein said nozzle base structure includes a cylindrical base open at its bottom, and a sealing member covering the open bottom of said cylindrical base, said lower sealing surface being constituted by the lower surface of said sealing member.

6. An aerosol container according to claim 5 wherein said nozzle bore is conical in cross section.

7. An aerosol dispenser according to claim 2 wherein said nozzle bore diameter is between 0. l and 1.3 millimeters.

8. An aerosol dispenser according to claim 2 wherein said nozzle bore diameter is between 0.3 and 0.4 millimeters. 

1. An aerosol dispenser comprising: a. a container for filler and pressurized propellant gas, said container having a neck integral with said container, said neck having an outer end having an outlet opening therein, said outer end of said neck forming a valve seat aRound said outlet opening, b. said container further including a raised bead encircling the outer surface of said container adjacent said neck, c. a nozzle having i. base structure having a lower sealing surface seated on said valve seat and cooperating therewith to seal said container when said lower sealing surface is urged against said valve seat, said base structure also having, an upper sealing surface, and a bore in its side between said upper and lower surfaces, ii. and a nozzle neck projecting upwardly from said upper surface, said nozzle neck having a nozzle passage therein communicating with said bore, d. and a resilient one-piece cap for said container, said cap having a sidewall and a top, said top having a nozzle opening therein to snugly accommodate said nozzle neck, e. said cap being positioned on said container with said sidewall of said cap encircling the outer surface of said container neck and said base structure, said top of said cap seating against said upper surface of said base structure, and said nozzle neck projecting through said nozzle opening, f. the interior surface of said sidewall of said cap having a groove therearound, said bead being engaged in said groove and said bead and groove cooperating to urge said cap downwardly to force said top of said cap against said upper surface of said base structure and hence to force said lower surface of said base structure against said valve seat with a force greater than the force exerted on said nozzle and cap by said filler and propellant gas, thus normally to seal said container, g. said interior surface of said sidewall of said cap, below said groove, and said neck of said container being cooperatively shaped to allow said cap to be pushed onto said container to a position in which said bead engages in said groove, h. said interior surface of said sidewall and said base structure defining between them at the location of said bore, a narrow annular chamber, said annular chamber extending below said base structure and encircling said neck of said container, i. said nozzle being of such rigidity relative to the rigidity of said cap that when said nozzle neck is pushed sideways by pressure applied to the side of said nozzle in which said nozzle bore is located, said cap will yield and said one side of lower sealing surface of nozzle base structure will lift to uncover one side of said outlet opening of said container, whereby said filler and propellant gas may pass from said outlet opening through said chamber and through said nozzle bore into said nozzle passage.
 2. An aerosol dispenser according to claim 1 wherein said nozzle is of a material harder than that of said resilient cap.
 3. An aerosol container according to claim 2 wherein said nozzle is of brittle plastic.
 4. An aerosol container according to claim 1 wherein said nozzle is a one-piece member.
 5. An aerosol container according to claim 1 wherein said nozzle base structure includes a cylindrical base open at its bottom, and a sealing member covering the open bottom of said cylindrical base, said lower sealing surface being constituted by the lower surface of said sealing member.
 6. An aerosol container according to claim 5 wherein said nozzle bore is conical in cross section.
 7. An aerosol dispenser according to claim 2 wherein said nozzle bore diameter is between 0.1 and 1.3 millimeters.
 8. An aerosol dispenser according to claim 2 wherein said nozzle bore diameter is between 0.3 and 0.4 millimeters. 